This invention relates to a hand-operated device for opening oysters, clams and similar shellfish. The hand-operated tool includes a curved toothed member, which cooperates with an opposing member having a wedge slidably and adjustably mounted thereon for opening oysters. The portion along which the wedge slides comprises a knife like cooperating portion to open clams. The members are pivotably mounted together at one end and both include a handle portion at the other end to hand squeeze and force the clams or oysters apart in a single stroke.
The prior art includes the conventional but dangerous method of opening clams and oysters with a knife. This results in considerable loss of product since there are many oysters or clams, which cannot be opened in this fashion. The primary drawback, however, is the difficulty in gripping and opening the shellfish, which are often slippery with a knife in a safe and efficient manner.
Various devices have been developed including the disclosures of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,133,078 and 3,846,908, which relate to handheld devices. The aforesaid patents each show two pivotal arms but the blade for engaging the oysters is not movable along an elongated arm. Further, the patents fail to disclose a device, which has no knife protrusion but includes a scoop on one of the members.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,231,930 to Berry discloses a knife having a depending wedge fixedly mounted to the blade handle but the knife is not pivotably mounted to the vertical member. The Berry opener includes a fixed stand and lacks the flexibility and speed of applicant""s device.
Other patents of interest include design U.S. Pat. Nos. 196,381: 1,071,352; 189,966; and 210,032; as well as U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,482,500 and 4,348,788. None of the patents depict the unique combination, which includes a slideable wedge moveable along a wedge shaped knife-like member to open oysters or clams in cooperation with an opposing pivotally connected toothed member. The device is also safer, inexpensive and easy to use. It results in less product loss and portable and space efficient.
Oysters and clams are often difficult to open since the opposing shells are usually slippery and are held together by a muscle and present little or no opening to pry the shells apart.
This invention comprises a pair of members pivotably mounted together at one end and having a handle portion at the other end. One of the members comprises a curved toothed portion having a scoop like member mounted adjacent the end thereof to remove the clam or oyster. The member is curved with serrations thereon to hold a clam or oyster at one end while pressure is exerted by the other member to open the clam or oyster. The other member includes a tapered knife like portion to engage and open clams and a wedge like member slidably mounted on the knife like portion to engage and open oysters. The wedge like member is slid to one end when it is necessary to open clams.
Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a new and improved device for opening clams, oysters and other shellfish.
Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved device for gripping, opening and shucking clams and oysters.
A further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved hand held device for opening clams and oysters wherein pivotably connected members cooperate to hold and open said clams and oysters.
A more specific object of this invention is to provide a new and improved hand held opening device for clams and oysters which include a curved toothed member which cooperates with a member having an adjustably mounted wedge member slidable along a knife like portion of an opposing member to engage and open oysters while the knife like portion is used to open clams with the wedge member moved to the end of said knife like portion.